If you want to be seen as a professional, you must present a professional image and attitude that will command respect.   You WILL NOT get the respect you need simply by your title. Respect is earned not granted.    

There has been a long history of perceived and actual unprofessionalism in the Coroner industry. This has spilled over into Medical Examiners office and police agencies as well.  But by and large many coroners struggle with being accepted as a professional.   Is it industry bias, or a reality of the image the coroner is projecting?

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Five Areas You Must Address

1. Need for written policy

•   All staff from top-down

•     Procedures for all to follow

•        Victim families

•        Property

•       Report deadlines

2. Attitude of cooperation

•    With co-workers

•    Other Agencies    Stop power pulls

•    Interactions with families        

3. Office Organization

•   Office area appearance
•   Filing

•    Reporting

•    Returning messages   Voice and Email

4. Dress code standards

•   At office/morgue

•    On scenes

•            Proper Dress    Proper Id on clothing

•     On duty and in public

•             This includes automobiles

•                   Is it marked

•                   Even Magnetic logos

•                   What type of vehicle

5. Training    

•       How trained are you    

•      Can you talk and understand the field

•      Your responsibility  to get it

•               This podcast

•               Reading

•               Courses   -  local Sheriff Office

•               ABMDI

•               Use your ME